Multiple wire scratcher for wells



April 14, 1953 K. A. WRIGHT MULTIPLE WIRE SCRATCHER FOR WELLS 8 A. w m m 8 #1 F w J. W

firm/mas Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE WIRE SCRATCHER' FOR. WELLS- Kenneth A.. Wright, Los Angcles, Calif. Application Augustl l, 19483,.Serial No.44,3.73;

20. Claims.

- invention relates to. the; well drilling; art and: particularly directed: to. a. cleaner or scratcher' adapted. to. be. carried on a pipe insortable into; a well: bore;

This application constitutes. a. continuationin-partof; my co-p'ending app1ications,. Finger for Well. Cleaners: 01:: Scratchers?" Serial No. 7.0% 189 Mud. Cleaners Applicable: to. Well Gasor the. Like, Serial No. 709,490.; and Well. Cleaning: and: Centering Tool, Serial No.. 709.3911; all filed, November.- 13; 1946,. and. all. novw abandoned'i.

The principal object of the present invention. is: tn; provide: an. improved. form. of scratcher for wells employing-3 multiple; wire fingers; andv adapted to; minimize disturbance of the mud. cake while. going: into. the. well, but to provide effective-means. for" removing the mud cake when raised. upwardly within. the: well. bore. An. im-- portant. use: of this. device is. in connection with.

vice of. this type having, flexible fingers formedv of Wire bundles.

Another object. is ta provide such a device in which: the flexibility of. the fingers minimizes damage to: the: device. which would: otherwise be caused by the usual rough. handling. of scratcher-equipped well pipe, prior to insertion mm a: well. bore;

A. related. obiect. 1531703 provide a sleeve. adapted to: be: carried on the: external; surface: of a well.

pipe: such: as a: casing. and having: a. plurality of multliplewiresscratchen fingersafixedt on the; outer peripheryof thesleeve and extending upwardly and. outwardly from. the sleeve-1 for contact. with tha walla of; a well; bore.

Another object to. provide reenforcem'ent' means for: such-1 multiple wire. scratcher fingers positioned atthezinner endof' the multiple wire shanks adjacent. the retainer or body which secures the finger to the sleeve.

A: further object to. provide a reeniorcement atthe? inner endz of: the multiple: wire. shank: and

which projects;- Within: a. recess; provided. at: the. forwardend of: the retainer, whereby. the retainera-nd reenfiorcement. cooperate to. provide a bearingjsurface adiacent-theinnenend: of the shank;

Qther. obi ects and advantageswill appear here:-

matter.

, In the: drawings;

Figure; L is an. elevation view partlybroken 2. away showing a multiple. wire scratcher embodyingmyinvention. and positioned. on a pipe ex;- tending into. a wellbore.

Figure 2 is a perspective. view showing one: of; the. multiple wire scratcher fingers. on. an. en larged scale...

Figure 3' is a perspectiveviewshowing thaun derside of the retainer.

Figure. 4 is a sectional viewpartly brokenaway taken substantially on the lines 1-4. as shownin. Figure. 2..

Figure 5 is. a sectional. detail taken suhstantially on the lines 5-5 as shown in! Figure 2",.

Figure 6. shows a modified formv of my in-- vention. in which the individualscratcher fingers. are. mounted. on strips: carried on. the external surface at a. well pipe.

Figure. 7 is a. sectional view illustrating. a further modification in which. the; reentorcement at the inner end of the shank is received in. telescopic relation. with. the forward. end. of the retainer to provide a. bearing surface.

Figure 8 isa sectional detail taken substantially on the. lines 8.-8 as shown in'Figure 7..

Referring to the-drawings, the carrier element or sleeve 16. is. adapted to encircle av well: pipe such as the casing H The. sleeve maybe fixed to the casing H. by welding or by any other conventional means, or may be loosely mounted. onthe casing and. positioned between the stop. lugs (not shown) carried on the external. surface of the casing ll. The sleeve Ill may comprise a single integral ring or it may be. split. for. installation on. casing having enlarged threaded connections at. each end.

A plurality of multiple wire. scratcher fingers. generally designated [2. are fixed on the .ri'n'g,v It and extend upwardyand. outwardly. there.- from. Each of these fingers. l2 includes a. retainer l3 having a channel It along its under side to receive a plurality of individual spring wires .l5-. The wires I5- are each doubled. at their inner end it after the manner of ahairpin, and these wiresproject outwardly and up.- wardlyin a. group or bundle to form: the shankl1 and. tip. It. A tubular. reenforcing collar 59. is positioned on the wire bundle between. the. tip, I8. and shank I1 and is bent after assembly on thewire. bundle so that a permanent. set. is effected whereby the tip. it extends. at an angle to the shank as shown. A similar tubular reenforcing collar 20 is bent after. assembly on thewire bundle. so. that a permanent set. is developed and so. that the shank I]. extends at an angle to the. attachment section 2L This: angle is clearly shown inFigur-e 4 The loop I6 on each pair of spring Wires included in the bundle is positioned within an enlarged recess 22 provided within the retainer I3 at one end of the channel I4. A tongue 23 formed integrally with the body of the retainer i3 extends upwardly into the recess 22 and through the loop I6 of each of the spring wires. The channel I 4 is proportioned so that the spring wires substantially 'fill the channel and rest against the external surface 24 of the sleeve Ill. Enlarged looped ends I6 of the wires are wider than the width of the channel I4, and accordingly cannot be pulled out of the channel in an axial direction. The tongue 23 acts further to anchor the wires and prevents the doubled end of each wire from turning relative to the retainer I3.

Opposite endsof the retainer I3 are provided with pairs ofwtabs 25 and 2B which provide means for securing the retainer to the sleeve I0. Any suitable form of attachment may be used, but I prefer. to spot weld the tabs 25 and 26 to the sleeve ID as indicated at 21. Since the retainers are-mounted in an inclined position on a cylindrical sleeve they are shaped after the manner of a helix and the tabs 25 and 26 are not positioned in the same plane.

' The retainers I3 are mounted in inclined nested relation on the sleeve I0. Since it is desirable to employ a relatively large number of scratcher fingers on the sleeve and thus insure maximum cleaning ability of the tips I8 against the wall 28 of the well bore, the retainers I3 are mounted as close as possible to each other on the sleeve I0. One of the upper tabs 26 on each retainer projects between the upper and lower tabs on the next adjacent retainer as shown in Figure 1, and by this nesting arrangement a larger number of retainers may be secured on the periphery of the sleeve than could be accommodated if the parts were not nested. The angle of mounting of the retainers on the sleeve I and the angle of bend at the collars I9 and 20 is so chosen that when the fingers are deflected inwardly into contact with the well bore 28 from their normal free condition as indicated by the dotted lines 29 in Figure 1, the tip I8 of each of the fingers extends substantially vertically upwardly. In this way minimum resistance is offered to the mud cake which builds up within the bore hole during drilling operations when the sleeve I0 is moved downwardly in the bore hole. When the sleeve I0 is moved upwardly within the bore hole the fingers I2 flex outwardly and the tips I8 engage the mud cake and remove it from the wall of the well bore. The flexing of the finger I2 occurs primarily along the shank I! and the extending portion of the attachment section 2| and rotary movement of the bundle occurs within the forward portion of the channel Id at the opposite end from the tongue 23. The reenforcing collar 20 performs the highly desirable function of maintaining the wires in ass'embled relation as a group adjacent the point of greatest stress on the wires. This serves to prevent separationof the individual wires adjacent the extending portion of the attachment section 2I and thus contributes toward reliable operation of the finger I2 under repeated flexing. A single wire having a cross-section equal to the combined cross-sections of the bundle of wires illustrated and possessing the same physical properties would be incapable of flexing to the extent provided by the multiple wire bundle. This is true because the Wires making up the shank I I flex individually and hence the entire bundle may be deformed to the extent permitted by each of the relatively small wires, rather than to the lesser extent which would be permitted by a single wire having a cross-section equivalent to the total of the individual smaller wires. The provision of the reenforcing collar 20 insures that the individual wires shall not spread adjacent the attachment section 2|, but on the contrary shall flex from a common location and thus provide flexing movement which is as uniform as would be provided by a single heavy Wire.

In the modified form shown in Figure 6 the individual fingers I2 may be of the same form described above, but each of the retainers I3 is mounted on a vertically extending carrier element or strip 50 secured to the'external surface of a well pipe 5 I. The retainers I 3 are preferably mounted in nested relation in order to provide as many fingers as possible on the stripil. Other strips 52 may be mounted on the pipe 5| and located at a different point on the circumference;

These strips 50 and 52 are preferably positioned= in overlapping relationship so that when the Well pipe 5I is rotated no gap is left betweenthe groups of fingers. The well pipe 5| may be raised and lowered in the hole during the cementing operations and simultaneously rotated if desired; In this way the mud cakeis removed and pre-;

vented from reforming while the cement is seal-' ing the annular space between the well pipe 5I' and the bore hole 28. V

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figures 7 and 8 the forward end tIl'of'the re-=' tainer I3a is extended and is adapted to receive a tubular projection BIon the collar 211a in overlapping relationship. The bearing surface 6-2 is thereby provided betweenthe retainer I3a and:- the reenforcing collar 20a. .This inter-engage- -i ment and bearing surface contribute to the stability of the lower end oftheshank I! under flexing action and further insures reliable action" of the finger under repeated flexing operations The tubular projection BI is maintained in contact with the forward end 60, since the projection 6| lies against the outer surface 24' of the sleeve ID. Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

. I claim: r j 1. A multiple wire scratcher finger for wells of the type having a pipe inserted into the well bore. comprising a bundlev of wires bent at spacedpoints to define a tip, a shank, and an attachment; section; a bent reenforcing collar encircling the wire bundle at the bend between the attachment section and the shank tomaintain'the bend and: to prevent spreading of the wires near said bend upon flexing of the shank; and means for securing the attachment section in position'on the pipe with the wire bundle extending upwardly.

' and outwardly from the pipe to contact the wellbore Wall. v

2. A multiple wire scratcher finger for wells of the type having a pipe inserted into the wellborefi comprising a bundle of wires bent at spaced points to define a tip, a shank, and an attach-' ment'section; a first bent reenforcing' collar err-=- circling the Wire bundle at the bend between'the attachment section and the shank to maintain the bend and to prevent spreading of thejwire's near said bend upon flexing of thesh'ank'j-a second'bent re'enforcing collar-encircling the'wire 5 bundle at. the; bend: between the shankv and the tip; and; meansafor-securing; the; attachment sectionainr position. one the-pipe.- with thewire bundle. extending; upwardly-and: outwardly from the-pipe to. contact thewell-bore.wall.

3; A. multiple-wire scratcherfinger; forwells of? the-type. having: a pipe. insertedintc the wellbore. comprisinga; bundle of. wires. bent at, spacedpointsto defineatip; a shank,andanattachmenti section;; a bent. reenforcing collar encircling: the; wire. bundle at the: bend.v between the attachment section.- and; the: shank to; maintain the:- bendandi to; prevent spreading: of; the; wires; nearsaid bend uponfiexing of: the; shank;- andmeans: for secur ing; the attachment:sccticninpositiorr onthepipa with: the; wire;- bund'le: extending: upwardly and: outwardly.- fronr the. pipe. to. contact the well: bore. wall, said. securing means: including a retainer having a channel: to; receive the attachment sec-- ti'on; and means at one. end. of the channel. for; securing; the; ends of the wires against" rotation.

4. In a well scratcher, the combination of a: sleeve adapted to be mounted. on a pipe insertableeintov a well bore; a plurality ofmultipl'e wire scratcher fingers carried on the sleeve, saidfingers each including. a bundle of wires extending upwardly: and outwardly from the sleeve to engage. the well bore wall and bent at spaced pointsto=define1atip, a shank, and an attachment sec-- tion; a bent'reenforcing collar encircling the wire bundle at: the bend between the attachment secti'oni. and the shankto" maintain the bend and to prevent spreading of the wires near'said bendupon'flexing' of" the shank; and retainers for securing each of the attachment sections in position onthe periphery of the sleeve.

5. In a well scratcher, the combination of a carrier element adapted to be mounted on a pipeinsertable'i'nto a well bore; a plurality of multiple Wire-scratcher fingers carried on the carrier element, said fingers each including a bundle of wires extending upwardly and outwardly from the-carrier el'ement'to engage the wellbore wall; means securing the lower end of" each bundle in position on thecarrier element; and a pair: of spaced reenforcingcollars fixed to and encircling; each wire bundle at intermediate points" along, its length to define a shank portion therebetweem each pair of collars acting to prevent spreading of the-wires under flexing-action of the shank.

6. In a well scratcher, the. combination of a relatively large diameter short length cylindrical sleeve adapted to be mounted on apipe insertable into-a Well bore; a plurality of multiple wire; scratcher fingers carried on the sleeve, saidfingers-eachincluding a retainer having sp-aced'tabs adapted to be joined to the outer surface; of the sleeve, the retainers being positioned on. the periphery of the sleeve in inclined position with their tabsin, nested relationship, the fingers each includingv a bundle of Wires extending from the upper end of each retainer and projecting up.- wardly. andoutwardly from the sleeve andbeyond the. upper end of the sleeve to engage the well bore wall.

7. A multiple wire scratcher finger for wells of thetype having a pipe inserted into the well bore, comprising a bundle of wires bent to define an attachment sect-ion and a shank; a bent reenforcing collar encircling the wirebundl'e at the bend to maintain the bend and to prevent spreading of the wires near the bend upon flexing of the shank; a retainer provided with a channel to receive the attachment section, said retainer providing means for securing the bundle of; wires. in position on the pipewith. the; wire bundle extending upwardly and. outwardly from the pipetocontact thewell bore walli.v and means; on the retainer. at oneend-ot the; channel. for? receiving; a portion of the collar in; overlapping; relation;

8... A multiple wire. scratcher finger: for. wells. 01% thetype having a pipe.-:inserted into-thewelL-bcrcz. comprising; a: bundle. of: wires: bent; 'CQ define-r am attachment; section and; a; shank;- a. bentreen. forcing collar encircling; the bundle at: thebendto maintain:the bendandto prevent spreading; or. the wires; near the bend:upcnfiexingsofitha shank; a retainer; providemwithachannel to receive the attachment section,-. said: retainer pro vidingmeans; for. securing; the; bundle: wires? in: position on thezpipe-witlr thewiretbundlaextende ing upwardly and. outwandly from-thev pipe; to; contact the wellv bore lwallg; means: at: one; end. of the channel for securing the.- endsaofi the wires; againstv rotation; and means-on theretaineir at; the other end of the channel for:receiving;aiportion of the collar in-overlapping; relation.

9-. A. flexible cleanerfinger' for engaging; the wallof a bore hole, comprisingqin: combinationxar. bundle of pairs of spring wiresrformingan elem-- gate resilient element, each. pair: of. wires: being: integrally joined at one end to form a; loop; means spaced along'the lengtlrof.said:wires:con:- fining the wires against spreading; said; means including areenforcing collar: fixed toand: elicitclingthe resilient element: at. a. locationz remote; from the wireloops; said meanealso including a retainer-having an elongate body provided" with: a channel to receive a portion of: the length of the bundle of wires; adjacent thewire loops; and securing meanson the retainer body at one end of the channel engaging'the-loop on each of the" pairs of wires.

10. A- flexible cleaner finger for engaging the wallioi a borehole, comprising in combinations-a bundle of pairs of spring-wires, each pair of'wires being integrally joined at one end to-f0rm aloop; a clamping collar fixed to and encircli'ngthe bundle of wires at a location remote from the wire loops, a retainer having an elongate bodypro vided with a channel to receive a portion ofthe bundle of wires, the channel being enlarged at one=end to form a pocket-to receive the wire-loops; and a tongue fixedon' the *retainer' and individually engaging the loop'oneach oi" the; pairs of" wires to anchor each. pair with respect to the retainer.

ll. A flexible clean-er finger forengaging' the wall ofa bore hole, comprisingin eombinati'on'ze' bundleof pairs of spring wires forming an. elongate resilient element, each pair'ofwires being integrally joined at one end' to' forro'a'loop; the'pairs of wires extending for-"the full length of thee-longat'e resilient element and being bent at'spaced: locations to definea base end portion-at one end", an intermediate shank, and a tip, a reenforcing' collar fixed to and encirclingtheresilient element. at the-locationof the-bend-between theshankand the tip, a retainerhav-ing an elongate body-provided. with a channel to receiyethe base end portion of theresilient'element, and a tongue'fixed on the retainer extending into the channel and.

extending through the loop on each of the. pairs oi" wires to anchor each pair Withrespect to the-retainer.

12. A cleaner finger adapted to be mounted upon a cylindrical portion of a carrier for engaging the wall of a bore hole, comprising in combination: a bundle of spring wires having a base 7 end portion at one end, an intermediate shank, and a tip at the other end, the bundle of spring wires having a first bend joining the shank to the base end portion, and having a second bend joining the shank to the tip, a clamping collar choircling the bundle of wires at the second said bend,

a retainer having a curved body shaped as a portion of a helix for surfacecontact with the cylindrical surface of the carrier, the retainer body being provided with a channel to receive the base end portion of the bundle of wires.

13. A cleaner finger adapted to be mounted upon a cylindrical portion of a carrier for engaging the wall of a bore hole, comprising in combination: a bundle of spring wires, a retainer havinga'curved body shaped as a portion of a helix for surface contact with the cylindrical surface of the carrier, the retainer body being provided with a channel to receive an end portion of the bundle of wires, and securing means fixed on the retainer body to secure one end of the bundle to there'tainer body.

14. A scratcher'unit applicable to a well casing including an elongate carrier shaped to extend wardly from the carrier to engage and scratch the wall of a well bore.

15. -A' mud cleaner device, comprising in combination: a Well casing, an elongate carrier fixed to theiwell casing and extending longitudinally thereon, a series of spring fingers mounted on the outer surface of the carrier, the series extending longitudinally of the carrier, each finger including a retainer having spaced mounting flanges fixed to the carrier, the retainers being positioned on the carrier in parallel inclined position with adjacent flanges in nested relationship, each finger also including a bundle of spring wires in contiguous relationship, each bundle being secured within each'retainer and extending from one end of the retainer in a direction inclined upwardly and laterally outwardly from the carrier to engage and scratch the Wall of a well bore.

16. In a well scratcher for removing mud sheath from the wall of a well bore, a scratcher finger comprising a bundle of wires having a permanent angular bend, and a bent reenforcing collar fixed to and encircling the bundle at the bend to maintain the permanent angular bend in the bundle and to prevent separation of the wires.

17. In a well scratcher for removing mud sheath from the wall of a well bore, a scratcher finger comprising a bundle of Wires, the bundle having two permanent angular bends spaced along the length of the wires, a bent reenforcing collar fixed to and encircling the bundle at each of said bends to maintain the permanent angular bends in the bundle and to prevent separation of the wires.

18. In a wellscratcher for removing mud sheath from the wall of'a well bore, the combination of a carrier strip adapted for mounting upon a well pipe, a plurality of scratcher fingers mounted on the carrier strip and extending outwardly to engage the wall of the well bore, each scratcher finger comprising a bundle of wires having a permanent angular bend, and a bent reenforcing collar fixed to and encircling the bundle at the bend to maintain the permanent angular bend in the'bundle and to prevent separation of the wires."

19. In a Well scratcher for removing mud sheath from the wall of a well bore, the combination-of:

a carrier strip adapted for mounting upon a well pipe, a plurality of scratcher, fingers mounted on the carrier strip and extending outwardly to en'- gage the wall of the well bore, each scratcher.fin'-" ger comprising a bundle of wires, the bundle'hav ing two permanent angular bends spacedalong the length of the wires, abent reenforcing'collar fixed to and encircling the bundle at each of said bends to maintain the permanent angular bends in the bundle and to prevent separation of the wires.

20. In a well scratcher device for removing mud sheath from the wall of a well bore, the combination of a carrier strip adapted for mounting upon a well pipe, a plurality of scratcher fingers each comprising a bundle of wires, each bundle having two permanent angular bends spaced along the length of the bundle, defininga sub; stantially straight shank between the bends and a mounting portion at one end and a scratcher tip at the other, means securing each mountingportion to the carrier strip in an inclined position,

a bent reenforcing collar fixed to and encircling the bundle at each of said bends to maintain the permanent angular bends in the bundle, each shank in its initial free position extending upward and outward and with sidewise direction from the carrier strip, and each scratcher tip in its initialfree position extending upward from the shank,

whereby the scratcher'tips extend substantiallyparallel with the wall of the bore hole f0rmini mum scratching action when the well scratcher device is moved downward in the well, and whereby the scratcher tips engage the wall of the well bore for maximum scratching action when the well scratcher device is moved upward in to cause flexing of the shanks.

KENNETH A. WRIGHT;

References Cited in the file or this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,103,596 Lotter July 14-, 1914 1,342,618 Bashara June 8, 1920" 1,371,425 Jones Mar. 5, 1921 1,572,769 Clark Feb. 9, 1926 1,758,995 Armstrong et a1. May 20, 1930 1,775,376 Steps et a1. Sept. 9, 1930 1,914,533 Schodde June 20, 1933 2,151,416 Black t al Mar. 21, 1939 2,190,145 Braden Feb. 13, 1940 2,215,514 'lVIcGregor Sept. 24, 1940. 2,374,317 Wright as Apr. 24, 1945 2,392,144 7 Hall .Q Jan. 1, 1946 2,412,876 Edwards Dec. 17, 1946 OTHER REFERENCES z rhe 011 Weekly, vol. 102, #5, page 37, July 7. 1 1. r

the well' 

